RON SPOTS HISMOMENT
FROM ANNAN TO ANFIELD IS A FAIRYTALE Don’t let losses ruin our season REAL MADRID...1 JUVENTUS ...... 3
the lid on the dressing-room exchanges that sparked the Reds’ second-half comeback.
Lovren said: “To be honest I was shouting a bit at half-time.
“I told the lads to wake up because it was not good enough and I said we were sitting too deep. Of course Klopp said, ‘Yes you are sitting too deep because you are not pushing up’. He wanted me and Virg to be more compact and push the team up but it was quite difficult to push up when City had the ball. “It was all positive, there was nothing negative, but I needed to remind the guys that we had 50 minutes to be in the semi-finals of the Champions League and that we needed to give more.
“The first 10 to 15 minutes wasn’t good enough. When you see the second half, again they had a couple of chances but nothing too serious.” GABRIEL JESUS says Manchester City cannot allow three straight defeats to overshadow an otherwise successful season. City exited the Champions League to Liverpool after two defeats to Jurgen Klopp’s side either side of a 3-2 derby loss to Manchester United which prolonged Pep Guardiola’s wait for the title. But Jesus said: “It’s difficult because the last three defeats, unfortunately, overshadow what we’ve been doing during all season. “We must keep our heads up because we weren’t knocked out playing badly. “We were knocked out by a great team and a great club. They deserved it. “But now we must focus on the last part of the Premier League to wrap up the title.” CRISTIANO RONALDO spoiled Juventus’ fairytale comeback last night as his controversial injury-time spot-kick sent Real Madrid into the final four.
Gianluigi Buffon’s last Champions League runout saw him sent off for his protests over the award after Juve had overcome a three-goal first-leg deficit with 60 minutes gone.
Medhi Benatia was punished for bundling Lucas Vazquez over six yards out with extra-time just 30 seconds way.
But a five-minute wait to step up failed to faze Ronaldo as he marked his 150th match in Europe’s premier competition with a powerful penalty past Wojciech Szczesny.
Ronaldo said: “I don’t understand why they are protesting. Lucas was tackled from behind and if they don’t give him the penalty it’s a goal.
“The pulse increased but I calmed down and knew I’d be decisive.
“We have suffered but it helps us to learn. In football nothing is given away – you have to fight until the end.”
The Portuguese’s bicycle kick in Turin looked set to be the talking point of the tie until Juve produced one of the greatest scares in Champions League history.
It had started with the quickest goal conceded by Real at the Bernabeu in European Cup history as Mario Mandzukic headed home Sami Khedira’s cross with 90 seconds played.
The Croat had a second Real win 4-3 on agg eight minutes before halftime thanks to another back-post header, this time from Stephan Lichtsteiner’s cross from the right.
Raphael Varane saw his header from six yards out rebound off the bar in first-half injury time as the prospect of Real suffering the same shock exit as La Liga rivals Barcelona 24 hours earlier grew.
And when Keylor Navas spilled a cross in his danger area the clanger was punished as Blaise Matuidi poked home to level the tie.
Isco forced Buffon to turn a threatening shot past the post before Ronaldo failed to find the target from the same spot Mandzukic got No.2.
Ronaldo’s night wasn’t over as his header across goal saw Benatia misjudge a challenge on Vazquez and the Real man go down.
Buffon’s remonstrations were too hot-headed for English ref Michael Oliver who dished out the goalie’s first red card in what will now be his last Champions League clash.
Juve boss Max Allegri said: “I have a bitter taste as we didn’t have the chance to go to extra-time.
“Both sides would’ve deserved that. Small details changed the whole tie unfortunately.
“I had two more substitutions planned for extra-time and I was confident we could do it.”
ANDY ROBERTSON